NevadaSB35983rd Regular Session (2025)Senate

AN ACT relating to vehicles; revising provisions governing a hearing to contest the determination set forth in a civil infraction citation; authorizing a court to consolidate a criminal complaint for a misdemeanor offense and a civil infraction under certain circumstances; prescribing requirements for a consolidated hearing; clarifying that certain traffic and related offenses may be charged as misdemeanors if committed in conjunction with driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance; requiring those offenses to be reduced to civil infractions if the charge of driving under the influence is dismissed unless an exception applies; revising provisions governing the reduction of certain moving traffic violations to nonmoving violations; authorizing a board of county commissioners to impose a civil penalty in lieu of a criminal penalty for the violation of a county ordinance under certain circumstances; clarifying the locations to which certain statutory duties of a driver involved in a crash apply; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

Sponsored By: Senate Committee on Judiciary

Signed by Governor

BDR 43-900

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 5 mixed.

New process to contest tickets

Traffic tickets that are civil infractions now come with clear notice and a 90‑day deadline to respond. Hearings can be by phone or video. Judges can take sworn statements and other useful evidence, and they can subpoena witnesses. An officer’s sworn written statement can replace a live appearance; if no sworn statement or appearance is made, the ticket is dismissed unless other proof shows the infraction. Before the hearing, the court can require a bond or cash deposit up to the full fine and fees, but must waive it if you cannot pay or you are a legal aid client.

Reduce a moving ticket

A judge can reduce a moving violation to a nonmoving violation. You must admit the violation, pay the full fine and fees by your first required appearance, and give the court your driving record. The court cannot reduce it if your record shows a pattern of moving violations.

Which traffic cases are civil or criminal

Prosecutors can choose to treat many traffic misdemeanors as civil infractions. This choice does not apply to the core DUI crimes set in state law. If you are also charged with DUI, an infraction tied to the same event can be filed as a misdemeanor. If the DUI is later dismissed, that misdemeanor must be reduced back to a civil infraction, unless the dismissal was part of a plea deal.

Stronger duties after a crash

Your legal duties after a crash apply on highways and on places open to the public. You must stop, share information, help anyone hurt, report as required, and move a vehicle that creates a hazard when safe. Each failure is a misdemeanor.

One hearing for related charges

A judge can combine a misdemeanor case and a related civil infraction from the same incident into one hearing. The criminal rules apply to the hearing, but the infraction is decided by a preponderance of the evidence. The judge hears the case without a jury and issues both decisions at the same time. If appointing an indigent-defense lawyer is required for the misdemeanor, the court must separate the parts as needed.

Counties can use civil fines

County boards may adopt ordinances to use civil fines instead of criminal penalties for county code violations, unless state law forbids it or requires criminal charges. Civil-penalty money from municipal courts goes to the city treasurer; money from justice courts goes to the county treasurer. The place of the violation no longer decides where the money goes.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Senate Committee on Judiciary

    Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 63 • No: 0

House vote 5/23/2025

Final Passage - Assembly (2nd Reprint)

Yes: 42 • No: 0

Senate vote 4/15/2025

Final Passage - Senate (As Introduced)

Yes: 21 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Chapter 260.

    6/6/2025legislature
  2. Approved by the Governor.

    6/5/2025legislature
  3. Enrolled and delivered to Governor.

    5/31/2025legislature
  4. Assembly Amendment Nos. 574 and 640 concurred in. To enrollment.

    5/29/2025Senate
  5. In Senate.

    5/23/2025Senate
  6. Read third time. Passed, as amended. Title approved, as amended. (Yeas: 42, Nays: None.) To Senate.

    5/23/2025House
  7. From printer. To engrossment. Engrossed. First reprint.

    5/23/2025House
  8. Read third time. Amended. (Amend. No. 640.) To printer.

    5/22/2025House
  9. Dispensed with reprinting.

    5/21/2025House
  10. Read second time. Amended. (Amend. No. 574.)

    5/21/2025House
  11. Placed on Second Reading File.

    5/21/2025House
  12. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended.

    5/21/2025House
  13. Rereferred to Committee on Judiciary. To committee.

    4/17/2025House
  14. Withdrawn from Committee on Growth and Infrastructure.

    4/17/2025House
  15. Read first time. Referred to Committee on Growth and Infrastructure. To committee.

    4/16/2025House
  16. In Assembly.

    4/16/2025House
  17. Read third time. Passed. Title approved. (Yeas: 21, Nays: None.) To Assembly.

    4/15/2025Senate
  18. Read second time.

    4/14/2025Senate
  19. Placed on Second Reading File.

    4/14/2025Senate
  20. From committee: Do pass.

    4/14/2025Senate
  21. From printer. To committee.

    3/18/2025Senate
  22. Read first time. Referred to Committee on Growth and Infrastructure. To printer.

    3/17/2025Senate

Bill Text

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